Thinking About Another Detector

[Stringtyer]

I’ll stipulate that I haven’t spent much time in the field with my Equinox 600 ( first machine in 30 or so years) so I may be premature with this post.

When I get out in the field with the EQ, the numbers and tones bounce everywhere and, with not much time on the machine, I’m getting frustrated. Of course, I’ve been hunting at a sports arena parking lot where lots of drinking goes on, thence, billions of bottle caps and pull tabs. Seriously, billions.

My question is, should I give the EQ more time with lowered expectations for success in the short term or should I look at a different machine that may be more appropriate for a new detector(ist)? BTW, I love the EQ at the beach.

I have several permissions that I will hunt once fall gets here and the snakes and ticks have moved out. Perhaps I’ll have better success in an area with less junk.

Opinions and comments, please.

 

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[Terry Soloman]

First, go back and read the user's manual again now that you have used it a bit. Begin to experiment a bit between Park 2 and Field 1. Ground Balance; Noise Cancel; Minimum tones.

 

[against the wind]

When I first started using the XP DEUS in NYC parks, I experienced the same thing. Some NYC parks are carpeted with steel bottle caps. It took a while to get the hang of what the new machine was properly identifying. Today I can safely identify and ignore a steel bottle cap. It would be better to start on a farm or woods with your machine. There will be less Pulltabs and Bottlecaps in those locations. The EQ 600 is a very productive machine. I think my next detector will be the EQ 800.

 

[cudamark]

Yup, find an easier spot until you get at least 200 hours on the machine. Even then, hunting a trash infested parking lot is not my idea of a fun hunt......and I have over 400 hours on an 800 now.

 

[lovinlife]

Only problem I find with farms is nails nails nails! Also looking to upgrade.

 

[hydrodog]

Build a test garden, When I got my etrac I used a soil test probe to bury all sorts of goodies,bottlecaps, pull tabs, nails, clad, silver, etc. Then I learned to hunt primarily by tone. The soil test tool is basically a 1" diameter tube with a "T" handle and the side of the tube cut out to discharge the soil plug. Put your test objects in all different orientations and make some difficult, nails and caps around silver and clad. I even used some silver solder to make mimic rings. Good luck and keep at it, if it was easy everybody would be detecting.

 

[Stringtyer]

Thanks to all for the advice and encouragement. Of course, y'all are quite correct about hunting in some place other than beer can central. I'll take all this advice and learn my machine. My experiences on the beach have taught me that the machine is a depth monster and, in a place with less junk, is fun to use. I suppose I was taken with the idea of finding massive coin spills and the occasional piece of jewelry.

I think I'm just too impatient and I let that impatience translate to frustration. I can hear everyone saying, "calm down, be systematic, and learn your machine". Now, I'm off to find that user's manual and re-read it. Tomorrow ... 100 year old house to look for nails; no more college football stadium.

BTW, did we really drink that much beer when we were in college?

 

[Goldfynger]

Ok your probably gonna laugh at this. I have been detecting for 10 years, started out with a CZ3D, it failed, then I went to a Minelab 705, it failed, then the replacement failed, the 3rd was a charm on the beach but failed miserably on its first tailings pile in WYO. Had several $500+ machines so I have some experience. 2 weeks ago I was just browsing YouTube videos and came across several videos on Bounty Hunter machines, I was really impressed with these videos and the reviews of these machines, so much so that I bought a Tracker IV.
Got the machine and started using it and I was even more impressed, for under $100 it's crazy. The machine found coins down 7" and in no time I was able to distinguish between pop tops, coins and even a 1/10 gold coin while totally eliminating iron. In a new picnic type area I found 9 quarters, 3 dimes and 3 copper pennies. The Tracker even saw 1 quarter about an inch above a large piece of steel pipe. In another instance it sounded on 3 quarters within inches of each other, the deepest being 7", the recovery speed is incredible. It's also easy to identify a large piece of pop can, foil etc... I am still amazed at the performance of this machine. There are many videos on YouTube reviewing several Bounty Hunter priducts. There is 1 comparing the Land Ranger Pro to an AT Pro at 2 or 3x the price. So far this thing is a killer on coins. It's worth checking out. In top of the performance it is American made and comes with a 5yr Warranty. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Stringtyer]

Ok your probably gonna laugh at this ... I bought a Tracker IV.

OK, I'm not laughing at that idea at all. While I like the EQ for the beach where there is less junk ... or, at least, junk that is easier to classify (aluminum, for example), I'm giving thought to taking out my Tesoro that I got at a thrift shop for $7.00 and plying my trade with that.

Again, I know that I suffer from a serious lack of patience and want the gold, jewelry, old coins, and historical relics to jump into my pouch just because I'm waving a detector across the ground! I've heard that patience is a virtue and I suppose I should work on becoming more virtuous.

 

[Escape]

Sounds like you hunting a pretty trashy site. Try notching out everything except nickers, dimes, Penneys and quarters. This will knock out most of the trash signals your getting and allow you to get out and dig some change with out the trash distraction. If I get a jumping 12, 13, 14 it is always a bottle cap. Solids are always worth digging.

 

[hound]

Learn the machine. Digging trash is part of the hobby. You'll dig a lot of it for each good target you find. Even with the CTX-3030 with all of it's advanced identification features you'll still get trash on good target indicators.

It's also the kind of place where a 6" coil is useful. Having less under the coil makes picking out the good signals among trash easier.

 

[Escape]

You will dig a lot of trash. Tons of it if your looking for gold in a trashy site. Way lot less if your just hunting for coins and silver. You can leave the aluminum for someone else.

 

[HighVDI]

Simple fact too that not every location is littered with what you're searching for either. Today I hit sweet looking cellar hole with a buddy and got two wheats and a pendant. Not exactly what I was hoping for but the hunt before that at a honey hole I dug 10 silver coins! There are definitely ups and downs in the hobby and with the new machine I'd keep it simple. Turn the sensitivity way down to 15-16, slow your search speed and swing way down. Examine every signal and take a mental note of them. Dig trash to learn trash. This is why there's so many detectors hanging in garages and sitting in closets not being used. Definitely a hobby full of work and dedication. The 600 is an incredible machine and super capable!

 

[IDXMonster]

I don’t have an EQ but lowering the sensitivity on any machine will make it behave progressively better and better. Sites with carpets of crap involved won’t let you see below that carpet anyway,so why run sensitivity too high and have the machine try to process a million things at once? Discrimination and a lower sensitivity will at least get you going. Don’t fret over depth right now,not in that site you mention. Of course it’s not the best idea to jump right into a pile of garbage,because you want to dig at least a few good targets! So if you can,find a less polluted area so you can understand the machines responses. If it’s a total jumble you’re gonna go nowhere. You can’t build skills on that scenario.
Good luck and welcome back to the hobby!

 

[HighVDI]

I don’t have an EQ but lowering the sensitivity on any machine will make it behave progressively better and better. Sites with carpets of crap involved won’t let you see below that carpet anyway,so why run sensitivity too high and have the machine try to process a million things at once? Discrimination and a lower sensitivity will at least get you going. Don’t fret over depth right now,not in that site you mention. Of course it’s not the best idea to jump right into a pile of garbage,because you want to dig at least a few good targets! So if you can,find a less polluted area so you can understand the machines responses. If it’s a total jumble you’re gonna go nowhere. You can’t build skills on that scenario.
Good luck and welcome back to the hobby!

Funny part is the 600 can still go deep at lower sensitivity settings. I'm guessing due to less ground feedback.

 

[Eleven Cents]

I don't have an EQ, but when things get weird, it's always been my coil connection or my batteries.

 

[ZR2guy]

The 5 frequencies makes the Equinox more stable while giving a really good indication of what is under the coil. My 600 runs quiet as far as EMI interference is concerned.

 

[vpierceiii]

A great trick with bottle caps and a Nox is to change the frequency real quick. In multi-frequency mode a bottle cap come up with numbers in the mid teens, like a nickel or a men’s gold wedding band. But if you simply push the frequency button to 10k hertz the number will jump up to the low or mid 20s if it’s a bottle cap. This is a great method that saves me a lot of time.

 

[roaming mike]

I found that if I started in Park 1, as it is pre-programmed, I did very well. I feel that staying in that mode, not trying to act like the expert with it, and just learn it as you go works very well. The first time out with mine, I found a silver ring (first for this site), as well as 8 silver(clad) coins, and precious little trash. I've used mine several times now, and find it is great! Don't change the settings unless necessary. I've owned several Minelabs over the years, & never really made friends with them, but this is definitely a winner if you will give it a chance.
I've also found Clive Clynick's book on the Equinox to be very good, and fortunately, I got it and read it while waiting on my Equinox to arrive.
Mike